For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:8
STORY
Charles Spurgeon was pastor of Metropolitan Tabernacle in London for 38 years, that began in April 1854. While at the Metropolitan Tabernacle he built an Almshouse and the Stockwell Orphanage. He encouraged his congregation to engage actively with the poor of Victorian London. He also founded Spurgeon College, which was named after him posthumously. He authored sermons, an autobiography, commentaries, books on prayer, devotionals, and hymns. Many of his sermons were translated into several languages. Spurgeon has often been called “Prince of Preachers.”
The pastor often suffered deep depression. In days of darkness, he clung to God’s promises. One of the books most beloved by his readers consisted of daily readings based on biblical promises could relied upon. The title of this daily devotional was The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith.
The devotion that he wrote for 2 Peter 1:8, which is our scriptural reading for this morning, discussed if you are to exhibit Christian virtues, then you must be a spiritual individual. He wrote: For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
DEVOTION
We often pontificate that the Spirit dwells within Christians, which is true, to an extent. The Holy Spirit is not magic. We must open the door of our souls to allow the Spirit to enter. We must allow the Spirit to roam the corridors of our heart. We must permit the Spirit to take up residence.
This will only occur if we mediate on the Word of the Lord day and night. This will only transpire if we pray without ceasing. This will only eventuate if we are in a constant mode of worship.
Like so many Christians, I begin each day in meditation. Each morning, for decades now, I get out of bed, let the dog out, fix a pot of coffee, then I mediate, reading a daily devotional and a chapter from the Bible, followed by prayer.
To this disciple I adhere to a practice that I adopted that at the end of each session, as recorded in Ephesians, I pray on the Armor of Christ which I consider conveys all aspect of being a Christian, from faith to evangelism: Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness and lace up your sandals in preparation for the gospel of peace. With all of these take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. As I pray this, I imagine dressing myself with spiritual armor.
The Salvation Army, where I currently worship, has a “Soldier’s Covenant” that church members are expected to ascribed to. One tenant reads: I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to his leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and reading the Bible.
Charles Spurgeon concluded his meditation with these words: If we would do better we must be better.